If you have a friend or family member who has recently been arrested in Greenville, South Carolina, you are probably feeling a little helpless to control the situation and wondering if there is anything at all that you can do. Fortunately, there is quite a bit that you can do to provide support, guidance, advice, and legal representation for your loved one.
Advice for Those Who Witness Their Loved One’s Arrest
In some cases, you won’t know that your friend or family member has been arrested until they call you from jail or until you hear it through the grapevine. Yet, in other cases you will be right there when it happens. You might feel tempted to get involved, to somehow prevent the arrest, to explain your loved one’s position, or to defend them in any way you can. The best thing you can do at a time like this is to say very little and do not interfere. If there is information that is necessary to communicate, such as, ‘That’s not the person you’re looking for. Joe is over there,’ then it is okay to express that kind of information. However, if they are arresting the person they are looking for, then it is not a good idea to make any comments about that person’s guilt, innocence, or involvement in any kind of criminal behavior. Attempting to interfere is only likely to make the situation much worse, and you might say something you regret. In the worst cases, those who try to interfere with an arrest end up arrested themselves, and you can’t do anything to help your loved one if you are locked up in the cell beside them.
For this reason, we recommend that you remain calm and try to get your loved one to remain calm and cooperative as well. This can be difficult when someone is truly convinced of their innocence. They may feel the weight of injustice when arrested for something that they haven’t done, and they may be tempted to resist. Remind your loved one that you are there for them and will handle their affairs, including locating a skilled Greenville, South Carolina, defense attorney. Encourage them to cooperate with the police, but to invoke their right to remain silent until they’ve had a chance to speak with a lawyer. If you are calm, your loved one is more likely to remain calm and to listen to your sound advice.
Advice For Those Who Learn Of the Arrest Via Telephone Call
For those who are not present when their loved one is arrested, the most common way of finding out about it is to receive a phone call from the person while they are in jail. At this time, you are going to have questions and concerns. This is no time to address them. Your loved one may wish to tell you all about it. Interrupt and discourage them from discussing the case. Remind your loved one that he or she is being recorded and needs to remain silent on the subject of their arrest and the case until speaking to an attorney. Your loved one may assure you of their innocence, and thus, feel comfortable talking about it. Remind them again, that despite their proclamation of innocence, they need to refrain from discussing the case at all.
You should direct the conversation towards more practical matters, by reassuring them that you will notify their employer that a family emergency has come up and that they will be absent from work, that you are contacting a criminal defense attorney to look into the case, and that their children or pets are being cared for. Let them know that you are there for them and will make sure that all of their most important affairs and interests are looked after while they are in jail. You can offer comfort and support without discussing the case. As much as you want answers, you will just have to be patient and wait for those answers to be revealed at a later date. Seeking answers at this time could significantly harm your loved one’s criminal case.
Taking Steps to Manage the Affairs of Your Loved One While They Are In Jail
From this point, you’ll want to follow up on your assurance to make sure that the affairs of your loved one are managed while they are in jail. This means making arrangements for pet care, child care, and any other general or practical concerns. This also means that you should call their employer to let them know that the person will not be coming into work for a few days, at least. Explain that a personal family emergency has come up, but do not discuss the details. You do not have to come up with a story, like that someone has passed away or anything like that. You can simply state that it is a personal family emergency, that they will be out of work for a few days. As you learn more about the situation, you may be able to let the employer know when the person is expected to return to work, or you may have to leave it at a ‘a few days.’
You can then contact a Greenville, South Carolina criminal defense attorney, like the attorneys at David R. Price, Jr. P.A., to ensure that your loved one gets the representation that he or she requires as quickly as possible. You can provide any information that you already have about the case to the attorney, though if you don’t know anything yet, that’s okay. The attorney will investigate the situation, determine whether bond is a possibility, and begin unraveling the story of what really happened and what defense your loved one may have against the charges.
Call David R. Price, Jr. P.A. for a Criminal Defense Attorney in Greenville, South Carolina
The dedicated South Carolina criminal defense lawyers at David R. Price, Jr. P.A. will gladly help you to sort through the complex situation you find yourself in when your loved one has been arrested in Greenville, South Carolina. Call today to learn more about how we can help and get the representation that your loved one requires right away.
David Price is a Personal Injury, Civil Litigation, Collections, and Criminal Defense Attorney who practices in Greenville, SC. He graduated from the University of Georgia School of Law, and has been practicing law for 12 years. David Price believes in helping those who have been injured. Learn more about his experience by clicking here.
